Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) Secretary General Roba Duba (pictured) on Friday said Governors should save counties from falling into a financial crisis and accept the proposed Sh316 which is the funding currently available/CFM – JEMIMAH MUENI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 26 – County government workers now want Governors to accept the Sh316 billion offer given by National Assembly to end the division of revenue stalemate.
Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) Secretary General Roba Duba on Friday said Governors should save counties from falling into a financial crisis and accept the proposed Sh316 which is the funding currently available.
“You can’t ask for what is not there, accept what has been offered because naturally resources can never be enough just work with what is available,” said Duba.
Duba, who is also a former Nairobi city clerk said the Sh316 billion offered is enough to run county affairs if well managed.
He added that the Governor’s appetite to have county allocations increased is self-centered.
“We have seen audit records for counties and the wastages witnessed is a clear indication that Governors are misusing funds, I don’t know why they want to be added more,” he said.
In what appeared to be the final blow to the Governors’ quest for more funds, President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday told the Council of Governors (CoG) that national government doesn’t available resources to grant their demand for Sh335 billion.
“You cannot reap where you have not sowed and it is true, we want our counties to continue with normal operations but if you ask for more money, where do you want it to come from? Please our governors, just be content with what we have given you because we do not have more money,” Kenyatta said.
He made the remarks when he attended the burial of former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth’s mother, Rahab Wambui.
Following CoG Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya’s announcement that county workers should prepare for salary delays due to the revenue allocation standoff, Duba said any delay of salaries and wages will be resisted and will attract industrial action.
Duba further said that the revenue dispute does not involve workers’ salaries therefore they don’t expect any delay in their July salary and subsequent months.
“Any move to delay workers’ salaries in all the 47 Counties, is unwelcome and will be resisted and counties should prepare to face the wrath of workers if they try that,” said Duba.
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